Campus lockdown

DU retracts amid criticism

New Desk
The Dhaka University authorities retracted amid huge criticisms from within and outside of their move to bar outsiders from entering the campus.
The DU authorities on Wednesday said that they did not impose ban on anyone's entrance or movement on the campus.
"It is must to take permission from the authorities concerned to carry out any activities including holding meeting or rally on the campus. It's not a new thing or idea," said a DU press release.
Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Akhkaruzzaman on Tuesday announced that the DU authorities would soon place security check-post at every entrance point of the DU to restrict outsiders from entering the campus with a view to avoiding tension on the university premises.
The decision was taken following the recent agitations on the DU campus in the name of quota-reform movement, the DU VC informed the media on Tuesday at his office.
Earlier, a provost committee meeting of DU on July 5 has restricted the movement of outsiders on the campus and their stay at halls without permission following the unexpected incidents took place on the campus centring the quota-reform movement.
Meanwhile, more than 300 students of Science Faculty of DU formed a human chain in front of Mokarram Bhanban demanding safe campus.
Meanwhile, a section of Dhaka University (DU) students on Wednesday demanded the unconditional release of their fellow Moshiur Rahman, one of the leaders of quota reform movement, from jail.
Several dozen students of the Department of Sociology of DU Faculty of Social Sciences held a sit-in at their department floor boycotting classes Wednesday morning to press home their demands.
Meanwhile, a professor of Sociology DU has allegedly threatened to call police if students try to obstruct him from taking classes and create any problem at the department.
Prof AKM Jamal Uddin gave the threat to the students of his department on Wednesday as they were staging demonstrations demanding release of a fellow student Mashiur Rahman, a joint convener of quota reform movement.
The students took position in front of Sociology Department at around 9 am and chanted slogans demanding Mashiur's release and punishment to his assaulters.
At one stage, Prof Jamal appeared there and asked the students to leave the place. But students continued their protest disobeying his order.
Then Prof Jamal said, "I want to take my class. You can't force me to refrain from taking classes. If anyone tries to obstruct me from performing my regular duty, I will call proctorial team and police."
"Prof Jamal snapped our photo and threatened to call police if we don't leave the place. We will not attend the classes and exams until our friend Mashiur is released," a student of Sociology Department told UNB.
AKM Jamal Uddin didn't pick up the phone when the UNB correspondent tried to contact him.